How to Use Google Trends for Marketing

What Are Google Trends?

Google Trends is an online tool offering a visual comparison of relative traffic levels for specific search queries. It shows how searches trend over time, so you can analyze changes in search behaviors across specific time frames, platforms, and regions.

For example, here is the data for the term “online learning” in the U.S. over the past year:

Source: Google Trends

You can see at the end of February 2020, there was a spike in searches for online learning, and it has gradually decreased over the following few months. Since we know all U.S. schools moved to virtual learning during that time, it makes sense there would be a surge in inquiries and less as it moved toward summertime. 

Applying Google Trends Data to Marketing

Now that you understand how Google Trends works, you may be able to see how it can be applied to marketing strategies. Whether you’re working in SEO, PPC, social media or other channels, you can certainly leverage Google Trends data for your business goals. 

Improve Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

With the data available in Google Trends, you can easily extract insights about where, when, how, and for how long people are searching for terms related to your product, service, or business. 

In terms of Search Engine Optimization, this can help you:

• Refine keyword choices
• Expand optimization 
• Update content

Refine Keyword Choices

When you perform keyword research with tools like Keyword Planner, you receive absolute search volume data (for example, let’s say “online learning” has 10K searches every month). But with Google Trends, you are viewing the relative popularity of a search term (as shown above, “online learning” has been more popular recently).

If you were targeting the keyword “online learning” for SEO purposes, then you would look at the trending data and consider focusing on content for this trend. However, if you were to see a downward trend for this keyword, then you may want to push marketing dollars toward another keyword that’s more popular.

Expand Optimization 

Google Trends has another feature called Keywords Rising, which you can find in the lower right of the results it returns for your search term. 

Here’s what it looks like in our search for “online learning”:

Source: Google Trends

As you can see, it displays search queries related to our original search that is on the rise. You may find additional opportunities here for content development, including keywords you may not have thought of before. This helps you expand your optimization efforts to reach your audience with topics they’re interested in right now, which in turn helps you increase traffic to your site. 

Update Content

One of the benefits of using Google Trends for marketing is the ability to track seasonality for search queries. For example, the term “swimsuits” is more popular in the summer months than the winter months as proven by the data:

Source: Google Trends

If you have existing content on your site that’s performing well, you could update it around this seasonality to reach people who are looking for swimsuits during the time they’re most likely to be looking for them.

Improve Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising

If you participate in PPC advertising, then you can also benefit from using Google Trends for your paid marketing activities. Again, you may want to play with the filters for different regions, platforms, and time frames to check for variances.

For example, you may find that trends in Canada are different from the US, or that there are differences in search behavior on the web (desktop, mobile, etc.) than on YouTube. You can apply this data to your advertising strategies to maximize the effectiveness of your campaigns. 

You may even combine your SEO and PPC efforts. By creating content around trends, you can reach people who may be interested in your products or services. You’re then bringing them to your website, which helps you increase the effectiveness of your remarketing ads. 

Improve Competitor Research

Google Trends can also help you visualize how your products and services are trending compared to your competitors. Here’s a 12-month timeline in the U.S. comparing the Samsung Galaxy phones to Apple iPhones:

Source: Google Trends

The results can be truly surprising sometimes, which is why doing competitive research with Google Trends can be helpful for marketing purposes. It can show where gaps exist and even challenge assumptions. Marketing teams can use this data as a springboard for improvement, whether that’s analyzing competitors’ marketing channels to see how to improve or reallocating marketing spend to other areas.

Where Does Google Trends Data Come From? 

It includes anonymized samples of Google search requests, both real-time and non-real-time, which are then divided into themes.

Data is normalized so that regions with the largest search volume do not always rank the highest because we can see trends by location.

To normalize the data and assess relative popularity, Google divides each data point by the total number of searches for the location and time period that it represents. These values are then scaled on a scale from 0 to 100 based on a topic's share of searches across all topics.

The fact that Google retains inquiries that could result from "irregular behavior" is a significant data concern. According to Google, this is done to maintain the caliber of the search results delivered by other Google products.

Test Out Google Trends for Newsjacking 

Do you apply newsjacking to produce content? Then using Google Trends subscriptions is definitely a good idea. Register to receive weekly, daily, or real-time updates on the top, majority, or all search trends.

Employ Google Trends for Topic Clustering 

Google Trends can help you streamline your subject-based topic clustering technique. Google offers subject suggestions in addition to search phrases while you enter, and if you select a topic, it shows "Related topics" as well. Check out the real-time search trends report to get a sense of how Google News contributes to the development of relationships between topics.

Get More Accurate Data by Comparing Keywords 

Compared to keywords with known traffic volumes from another keyword phrase, the relative figures can be given more context.

Comparing the number of keyword searches to a term for which precise traffic numbers, such as those from a PPC campaign, are already known is one approach to achieve this.

If the term volume is exceptionally large and you don't already have one, there is another way to discover a keyword to use for comparison.

A comparative keyword does not have to be linked. It may come from a totally unrelated field or even be the name of a well-known person.

Compare Keywords by Time for Audience Insights 

Google Trends may be instructed to show traffic patterns dating all the way back to 2004. This will allow you to observe audience trends. Long-term ascending trends: You should focus your efforts on creating content for a trend if it is rising steadily. If a trend line is regularly moving downward, it may be an indication that audience content consumption is changing.

Related Topics and Queries 

Topics:

Topics are a group of related search phrases.

Discovering related topics that are gaining popularity might help you gauge how a market or customer demand is evolving. You can select new goods or generate content ideas using this knowledge.

Queries:

Similar to how Related Topics are described, Related Queries also have a description.

The most common searches are typically the top requests. Rising inquiries are those that are gaining traction. Staying ahead of the competition is made much easier with the help of Rising Queries' data.

Short Term Trends Can Bring Massive Traffic

The brief view of keyword trends, such as the 90 or even 30-day view, might provide insightful information for capitalizing on the quickly shifting search trends. Both Google News and Google Discover receive a ton of traffic. Google Discover links to popular search-related subjects. For the most recent information on events, see Google News.

Keywords by Category 

Google Trends offers the option to restrict keyword search query results by category subjects. This offers more precise keyword information. The Categories tab is essential since it assists you in concentrating your keyword research on the proper context. It makes it logical to appropriately filter Google Trends so that it only provides data related to the vehicle context if the keyword context is "automobiles."

Leverage Keyword Data by Geography 

Finding niche subjects by location is one of Google Trends' more intriguing features. We frequently choose an audience for advertising depending on the nation in which they reside. There is no doubt that the audience in New York and Louisiana are not the same.

Uncover Search Intents With Categories 

By segmenting the keyword data according to the type of search from which it was derived, the Search Type, Google Trends allows you to filter the keyword data further.

By focusing your Google Trends study according to the type of search, you may help it become more accurate and useful by removing any "noise" that might be clouding your keyword research. 

Data from Google Trends can be honed using: Google Shopping, news search, image search, web search, and search on YouTube.

Features for Entrepreneurs

1. Find Niches
2. Keyword Research
3. Follow seasonal trends
4. Checking content freshness
5. Finding current trends for content creation
6. Find Niche by region
7. Competitor analysis
8. YouTube trends 
9. Google shopping trends

Promote Your Store Around Seasonal Trends

Seasonal trends are crucial to the success of your company. Highs and lows will impact your monthly sales throughout the year. When sales are slow, you may opt to start selling seasonal items.

Monitor Competitors’ Positions With Google Trends Compare

You can even keep an eye on your rivals on Google Trends to check how they're doing in comparison to your brand.

You can compare up to five search phrases or rivals with this function. You may utilize Google Trends comparison to stay one step ahead of rival brands as your brand's search audience grows.

Use Google Trends for Market Research

Using Google Trends Explore, you may learn how geography and seasonality may impact your product or service.

For instance, you can click into the selections on the map or filter down to a metro region in the Country drop-down selector below your search. You can also alter the date to lengthen or shorten the history, but bear in mind that if you do so within a week, the sample will be altered. 

Identify Consumer Demand

To find out which brand or attributes are more in demand among consumers, use Google Trends. For instance, if you're an electrical retailer, you may use Google Trends to compare the popularity of "Smart TV" vs. "LED TV." 

Determine What Consumers Are Searching About Competing Brands 

Enter the name of a rival brand in the Topic box to see similar search terms. For instance, if you operate a local coffee shop, you can type each of Blenz Coffee, Starbucks, and Waves Coffee House separately in the Topic box.

Ways to Use Google Trends for Building Your SEO and Content Marketing Strategy

1. Find current trending topics
2. Find seasonal trends
3. Improve local SEO strategy
4. Competitor Analysis
5. Optimize SEO strategies 

Wrapping Up

Google Trends is a highly valuable tool for marketing, including SEO, PPC, social media, email, and other channels. Not only does it assist with your own research, but it helps you evaluate your organization against competitors. Without Google Trends in your toolbox, you miss out on marketing at the moment it matters most to your audience. 

Learn tried and trusted growth strategies and key concepts of Digital Marketing with our Professional Certificate in Digital Marketing. Sign-up now!

Want to Learn More?

In today’s hypercompetitive business landscape, companies that don’t build a strong marketing strategy risk being left in the dust of their competitors. That’s why they need highly skilled professionals who understand how to leverage the latest tools and techniques to help them stand out in the crowd. Whether you’re a business leader looking to upskill your employees or a professional who wants to boost your career in this exciting field, Simplilearn’s comprehensive Digital Marketing Specialist Master’s program has everything you need to succeed. Check it out today!